


Heartfelt

by nightbirdrises



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 23:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1323574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightbirdrises/pseuds/nightbirdrises
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Andersons move in across the street, seven year-old Kurt is worried at the realization that they have a boy his age (but one grade level below him). However, his worries are for naught, and in a big way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartfelt

**Author's Note:**

> ([tumblr](http://princehummel.tumblr.com/post/79722561004))

Kurt sighs, turning a small teacup over in his hands as he wonders when his dad will be back from the garage, and when his mom will wake up from her nap. She takes a lot of naps lately; Dad says it’s just because she’s really tired, but she didn’t used to nap so much. Anyway, now he’s alone in their front yard, a tea party all set up for two.

He’s thinking about putting everything away - as imaginative as he can be, a tea party just isn’t the same without another person there - when he hears a cheery, unfamiliar voice.

"Hi! What’re you doing?" Kurt looks around until he spots a young boy on the sidewalk, instantly recognizing him as one of the Andersons that just moved in across the street last week. He doesn’t know his first name, but Kurt isn’t exactly curious; he sort of expects this boy to be just like all the other boys he’s met. That is, mean and unsophisticated.

"Nothing," Kurt says haughtily, turning away. But the boy apparently has no boundaries, and is running to the table faster than Kurt can come up with a polite way to tell him to leave. 

"Wow, this is so cool!" the boy exclaims, and that’s what gets Kurt to turn back to him, still wary, but now surprised as well. "Is it a game?"

"No," Kurt says matter-of-factly, "it’s a tea party."

"Oh." The boy rocks back and forth on his heels and grins, the very picture of poorly-contained energy. "I’ve heard of those. But why are you doing it by yourself?"

"I’m not, my dad’s with me," Kurt says. "Well, not right now he isn’t, he had to go to work. But he’ll be back."

"My dad works a lot too, but he doesn’t come back until super-duper late. It’s okay though, he brings lots of presents and always kisses my nose goodnight, even if I’m sleeping."

"What’s your name?" Kurt asks, satisfied that maybe this boy isn’t so bad after all. He’s  _talking_  to Kurt, willingly, and he hasn’t said a single thing about tea parties or Kurt himself being ‘girly,’ which is more than Kurt can say about the boys at school.

"Blaine! What’s yours? Wait," Blaine says, suddenly thoughtful. "I wanna guess. You’re dressed really nice, so I’m gonna guess… Edgar! No, no, you’re more like, um, a Theodore? Can I call you Teddy?"

Kurt laughs quietly in spite of himself, shaking his head. “No, I’m Kurt.” He wrinkles his nose and adds, “Do I really look like a Teddy?” Blaine squints at him for a few seconds.

"No, you defnit— I mean, definitely look like a Kurt. I like that name.  _Kurt_. Oh, I almost forgot!” Blaine sticks his hand out to Kurt, who tilts his head, confused. “You’re supposed to shake hands when you meet someone new, that’s what Daddy always says. Mama does, too.”

"Oh, okay," Kurt says, taking Blaine’s hand and shaking it shyly. He’s starting to really like Blaine now, which is dangerous because that means he’s starting to think that Blaine might want to be his friend. Kurt’s been down this road before, when a girl in his class named Brittany was really nice to him - but then she became friends with the mean kids, and he was left to feel even more lonely than before. 

“ _Kurt_ ,” Blaine says again, nearly hopping at this point. “So can you teach me about tea parties?”

"I guess so," Kurt says after a moment. "Sit down there."

"Okay!" Blaine does, but somehow he manages to keep wriggling in place. Kurt tuts at him importantly.

"You have to stay still and be really polite," he informs Blaine, who nods and stills himself immediately, his expression going sober so quickly Kurt wonders if he’s actually done this before. "We don’t have any real tea because Mommy’s sleeping and I’m not s’posed to make it by myself, but we can pretend."

"I like pretending," Blaine says, and Kurt wonders to himself if there’s anything Blaine doesn’t like. He picks up one of the teacups all wrong, though, and Kurt sighs.

"Like this," he says, holding up his own and sticking his pinky finger out. "And you call me Mister Hummel, because we’re gentlemen and it’s polite."

"Am I Mister Anderson?" Blaine asks excitedly. When Kurt nods, he grins again before reassuming his former expression. In as low a voice as he can muster, he says, "Have you heard the news, Mister Hummel?"

Kurt arches an eyebrow, but answers, “I don’t believe I have, Mister Anderson. What is it?”

"I think I’ve made a new friend." Blaine breaks character as he giggles and points at Kurt. "It’s you," he adds in a stage whisper, eyes wide. Kurt blinks, involuntarily breaking character as well.

"Really?"

"Mhm!" Blaine places the teacup gingerly on the table. "You’re my first friend here, and I bet you can be my bestest too."

"I’ve never had a bestest friend," Kurt says, unsure.

"Now you do," Blaine says with utmost certainty. "Do you know what bestest friends do, Kurt?"

"No…" Blaine stands up and leans towards Kurt, as if about to share a secret. Kurt frowns at him.

"They play tag," Blaine whispers; he touches Kurt’s shoulder and bolts away not a second later. Kurt sits there, stunned, but then he sees Blaine peek around the corner of his house and he gets to his feet to chase the boy down. He really shouldn’t run in these nice shoes, but Kurt can’t bring himself to care, not when Blaine’s coming within reach.

"Gotcha," Kurt says, but it’s premature - he trips on a protruding root from the tree that used to be in his yard and falls with a yelp. Blaine stops running as Kurt turns over onto his back, wincing but glad nothing hurts too badly.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asks, jogging back to him. "That sounded like it hurt."

"I’m okay," Kurt says truthfully. He doesn’t get up, just lies there and stares up at Blaine with some embarrassment. But Blaine, instead of laughing, tilts his head.

"Maybe you’re invincible." He gasps. "Like a superhero!"

Kurt smiles. “I’m not a superhero, I’m just Kurt.”

"Kurts can be superheroes too," Blaine says, nodding sagely. "I’m gonna be a superhero someday."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I’m gonna have a cape and everything." Blaine makes a whooshing sound and starts running around Kurt with his arms outstretched. Kurt laughs, can’t help it, and watches him until he gets dizzy. Blaine’s about to reverse directions when one ankle hits the other and he goes down - right on top of Kurt. 

"Oof, ouch," Kurt groans. Blaine’s head has fallen on his chest and he looks up at Kurt, almost scared.

"I’m sorry, Kurt," he says, and he sounds like he means it. "It was an accident, I promise."

"It’s okay," Kurt assures him. He bites his lip. "It was kinda funny though."

Blaine’s smile returns, but then his expression turns contemplative, as though he’s listening to something. “I can hear your heart,” he says quietly, reverently.

"What’s it saying?" Kurt asks playfully. But Blaine looks at him seriously, his smile a small but genuine one.

"It says we’re gonna be friends forever," he declares. Kurt doesn’t know what to say, but he’s saved from answering when Blaine yawns and wiggles into a more comfortable spot.

It’s where Burt finds them napping later, and Kurt finds himself saddened when Blaine has to leave. But Blaine promises to come back and play some more soon; Kurt grins, elated. He has a friend.

Better yet, he has a  _bestest_  friend.

 

* * *

 

When they come out to each other (and only to each other) at the age of fourteen, it’s nerve-wracking.

Well, for Kurt it is, because he knows what all the other kids at school think of him. They think he is, well, exactly what he is, but he hates to give them the satisfaction of being right. Which is why he settles for telling only Blaine for now, because they tell each other almost everything. It’s still scary though - he’s heard of coming-out moments gone wrong even among the best of friends.

They’re in Kurt’s room, Kurt sitting up straight and rigid on the edge of his bed and Blaine lying down next to him, perusing one of his many issues of Vogue.

"Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?" Blaine asks after about ten minutes of stiff silence have passed.

"Why do you think anything’s wrong?"

"Because you haven’t commented on the fact that I’ve been reading this upside-down for a good five minutes just to get your attention."

"You’re the worst," Kurt grumbles, looking at him. But Blaine just sits up against the headboard and pats the space next to him, a silent request. Kurt moves to the spot and leans against Blaine, wondering if this is the last time he’ll be allowed to touch him. "I just have… a secret, I guess, that I want to share with you."

"Shoot."

"I’m… I’m gay," Kurt says, staring down the length of their legs as he says it, suddenly aware of how he’s starting to grow a bit longer than Blaine; they’ve been pretty much the same size since they met. He’s stiff as he waits for Blaine’s response, bracing himself. However:

"Me too."

Shock, then overwhelming relief fills him as he finally looks at Blaine, who’s already looking back. “Really? You’re not just saying it to make me feel like I’m not alone, are you?”

Blaine huffs a short laugh. “Of course not, no, I really am gay.”

"How did you know?"

"I, um, just did, I guess," Blaine says hesitatingly. "I’ve never really been interested in girls."

"All those poor girls will be so disappointed," Kurt says with mock sadness. Blaine shoves him with his shoulder, rolling his eyes. "I guess I don’t really know what the turning point for me was, either."

"I bet it was the muscle magazines under your bed."

"Blaine! I don’t have—" Kurt leans over the edge of the bed and pulls up the curtain to look underneath, worried that maybe Blaine actually did plant some magazines under there. But there’s nothing there. "God, Blaine."

"Hey, I wouldn’t judge if you did," Blaine says with a smile as Kurt pulls himself back up. "I’d probably ask you to share them, actually."

"Muscle magazines? Really?" Kurt arches an eyebrow.

"See? That’s judging, what you’re doing right now."

"You bet it is."

"Just for that, I’m going to buy a whole stack of them and hide them all over your room. You’ll be finding muscley shirtless guys everywhere. Including, and ironically, in your closet."

"I guess there are worse fates to suffer," Kurt says. He takes a deep breath and leans into Blaine more, sliding down slightly and tucking himself against Blaine’s left side. "I can hear your heart," he murmurs.

"What do you think it’s saying?" Blaine answers in kind, just as Kurt had hoped.

"I don’t know, it’s too fast for me to tell." Kurt’s sure his heart is beating the same way, the rush of revealing himself speeding it onward. "You tell me."

"I think it’s saying we should kiss," Blaine says, quiet, and Kurt looks up at him with wide eyes. "Or not, it’s just—"

"I’ve never kissed anyone before," Kurt says, interrupting him. "Have you?" He’s sure that Blaine hasn’t, he’d have told his friend if he had, but Kurt wants to be absolutely positive.

"No, never," Blaine says. "I’m not saying we should be more than friends, I just think… maybe, we should be each other’s first kiss. Who else would it be?"

It’s a good point, Kurt has to admit. He doesn’t see himself kissing anyone until he’s out of Ohio after high school, sure that no one else will dare to come out of the closet even he does. But Blaine’s right there, his best friend, and he’s in the same situation. So, why not?

"Let’s do it," Kurt says. He turns over until he’s facing Blaine, leaning over him slightly. He’s suddenly too aware of himself, his lips,  _Blaine’s_  lips - and he almost backs out, but then Blaine’s hand is on his cheek and guiding him closer. Kurt closes his eyes when their noses brush and they laugh, breathless, until their lips finally meet.

It’s not long, it’s not deep or passionate - but after the initial shock of  _oh my god I’m actually kissing a boy_ , Kurt starts to smile against Blaine’s lips, and it’s only moments before Blaine smiles too, effectively breaking the kiss.

"That was nice," Blaine says after Kurt has rolled back over, his head returning to its spot on Blaine’s chest. "What do you think?"

"I think so, too. Really nice." Kurt sighs happily. "Thank you."

"What’s my heart saying now?"

"That we should take a nap," Kurt answers without missing a beat. "Telling secrets and first kisses really tire a guy out."

Blaine laughs, says, “Okay, sounds good.” And nap they do.

 

* * *

 

They first sleep together when they’re twenty-one and tired of failed, sparkless, and never-happened relationships and in need of something familiar, even if sex isn’t exactly familiar between them.

It’s not that they’re strangers to sex. Kurt is more unused to it, having managed a five month-long relationship with a cute, slightly older guy in one of his classes and nothing else. There had been sex, of course, and the guy had been a good first for him - but looking back, he’s certain it was never meant to last. As for plenty of other guys being interested in him, well, it’s not a crime to have high standards, is it?

Blaine, on the other hand, has dabbled in the world of one-night stands, and has had two brief relationships, one of which ended badly - Kurt knows he still hurts, can tell because he hasn’t brought anyone home in months now.

They’re roommates; there used to be a third, but he moved out, leaving them alone. There’s nothing like rooming with your best friend, Kurt thinks, having shared a dorm with a stranger for the year that Blaine was a high school senior. And even Kurt, who doesn’t quite understand Blaine’s approach to sex, can’t help but roll his eyes fondly when he sees the signature bow tie on Blaine’s door.

That’s not to say it’s been all sunshine and rainbows; they’ve had their share of conflicts ranging from minor tiffs to shouting matches that threatened to ruin their friendship. Now Kurt, for his part, thinks they’re stronger friends than ever for all the hardships.

"How was your date?" Kurt asks without looking up as soon as he hears Blaine step inside.

"It didn’t happen," Blaine says, dejected, and Kurt puts aside the recipe book he’d been sifting through to look at him, head tilted.

"Did you get stood up?" Blaine shakes his head. "Don’t tell me you stood him up."

"Of course I didn’t, do you really think I would?"

"No, I don’t, I’m sorry," Kurt says. Blaine leans against the counter and rubs his hands over his face; Kurt decides he should do something and starts heating water in a kettle for tea. "What happened, then?"

Kurt doesn’t get an answer, and still doesn’t have one two hours later when his skin is sweat-cool except where it’s still touching Blaine, who’s stretched along his left side, an arm thrown over his waist. Kurt wants to feel guilty for getting into this - they’re just friends, this kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen, and certainly not just because one of them had a bad non-date - but he can’t bring himself to feel anything near shame.

"I’m sorry," Blaine murmurs after a moment, once they’ve caught their breath and regained clear thought. "I sort of just jumped on you, I didn’t mean—"

"Don’t be," Kurt interrupts, just as quiet. "It was…"

"Nice?" Blaine suggests, tilting his head where it’s resting on Kurt’s bare chest to look up at him with a smile.

"Really nice," Kurt adds, smiling back. Blaine’s thumb rubs absently over Kurt’s hip; Kurt takes a deep breath, completely at ease with the situation in a way he’d never imagined. He  _had_  imagined how this would happen, more times than he’d like to admit even to himself, but he’d never thought of the aftermath, too afraid that it would include bad feelings - or worse, that they would pretend it never happened. Blaine shifts against him and sighs happily; Kurt feels a little thrill go through his heart, which reminds him - “You can hear my heart, can’t you?”

Blaine hums an affirmative. He’s getting sleepy, Kurt knows, because he never has been able to resist taking a heavy nap after sex. It’s been a point that Kurt usually teases him about, but right now he won’t.

"What do you think it’s saying?" Kurt asks. Blaine’s eyes have already closed and his breaths are slowing, evening out, and Kurt has almost given up on getting an answer when Blaine mumbles something, half-asleep.

"Love you."

Kurt waits for more, not daring to breathe, but Blaine’s fast asleep within minutes. He blinks at the ceiling and lets the words sink in; he’s not sure if it’s time to bring this to light when they’re both fully conscious, but… yes, Blaine’s right. His heart is saying he loves him. That’s enough for now, while they’re still simply best friends (that have had sex) and nothing more.

 

* * *

 

They get married when they’re twenty-five.

The ceremony and reception are a smooth mix of the elaborate and simple, the fabulous and muted. The event is filled with people that either never expected this to happen or always did - none in between, though the latter are much more plentiful, as they quickly discover from knowing looks. Artie Abrams actually thanks them because he’d won a hundred dollars from one of his colleagues who said that Kurt and Blaine would never be more than friends.

"Just between you and me," he says, "I think you guys have always been more than friends. Like, I don’t mean you’ve always been  _a thing_ , but I sure as hell wouldn’t say you were normal friends.”

At that he wheels off, leaving them bemused and flattered and slightly flustered.

"Do you think Artie’s right?" Blaine asks a bit later. Kurt mulls the past thirteen years over in his mind, and shrugs.

"Does it really matter?"

"I guess not." Blaine wraps an arm around his waist and tugs him close, leaning in to kiss Kurt’s cheek as he grins. "I do like to think this was supposed to happen eventually, though."

"That is a nice thought." Kurt hums, leaning into his brand-new husband’s side as they watch their friends and family interact. "But imagine if we’d waited until we were, I don’t know, in our fifties. That’s a lot of sex we’d have missed out on."

Blaine huffs, shakes his head. “I almost forgot, you only married me for the great sex.”

"Don’t be ridiculous. I also married you for your money." Blaine shoves gently at his shoulder as Kurt laughs. "I’m sorry, but you left that wide open for me."

"I love you so much that I’m not even going to make what you just said into a double entendre."

"Just by saying that, you did," Kurt points out, and Blaine grins.

"Oops."

Rolling his eyes, Kurt takes Blaine’s hand and, without thinking about it, runs his thumb over the ring he’d just given to him not that long ago. Then he grasps Blaine’s wrist, feeling the pulse there, noticing it quicken when he steps around to face Blaine, putting the room behind him.

He keeps his fingers pressed to Blaine’s pulse as he kisses him, his other hand coming up to cup Blaine’s cheek. Blaine responds with easy enthusiasm, the touch of someone who knows without a doubt that there are many years of kisses to come, and yet still wishing to savor the one in the moment for all it’s worth.

The kiss ends but Kurt tilts his forehead into Blaine’s, says, “Your heart just said a lot of things.” Blaine chuckles, sliding his wrist out of Kurt’s grip to lace their fingers together instead.

"Like what?" he asks.

"Like…  _wow_ , that Kurt is a really good kisser,” Kurt says, and bites his lip as Blaine laughs. “But mostly it said that we’re going to be more than friends forever.”

"Sounds about right," Blaine says; he goes in for another, more brief kiss. "I love you, Kurt."

Kurt smiles, brings their hands up to rest over his own heart. “I love you, too.”


End file.
